The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-07-29
CHAPTER XIV.
ERNEsT's LOVE LETTER.

you out herei"
"Well you see, came out to look you up
You did not write any letters, and they be-
gan to get anxious about you at home SO
packed up my duds and started Your uncle
stands unlimited tin, SO am travelling like a
prince in wagon Of my own. heard Of
you down in Maritzburg, and guessed that
had best make for Pretoria, and here am
and there you are, and l am devilish glad to
see you again, old chap. BY Jove, what a
head | have But, | say, why didn't you
writci Doll half broke her heart about it,
and so did your uncle, only he would not say
so."
~ did write. l wrote from Sikukunis
country, but | suppose the letter did not
fetch" answered Ernest, feeling very guilty.
"The fact is, old fellow, l had not the heart
to write much, have been so confoundedly
down on my luck ever since that duel bust
ness"
"Ah!" interposed Jeremy, "that shot was a
credit to you. didn't think you could have
done it,"
"A credit I'll tell you what, It is an
awful thing to kill man like that. often
see his face as he fell, at night in my sleep"
"I was merely looking at it as shot," re-
piled Jeremy, innocently, "and considered as
shot at twenty PAGES and under trying cir
cumstances, it was credit to you"
"And then, you see, Jeremy, there was
another thing, you know-about-about Eva.
Well, wrote to hen and she never answered
my letter, unless" with IA gleam of hope,
"you have brought an answer"
"She told me to tell you that she loved
you dearly"
Slowly Ernest sat down on the bed again,
and throwing blanket over his head and
shoulders, remarked in a tone befitting
sheeted ghost:
"The devil she didm
Then he got up again and commenced
walking, blanket apd all, up and down the
little room with long strides.
He was already, after his quick Drained
fashion, employed in concocting his letter to
Eva
In the course of the morning he drafted it.
1t, or rather that part of it with which we
ned concern ourselves, ran thus;
"Such, then, my dearest Eva was the state
of my mind toward you ! thought--God
forgive me for the treason!-that perhaps
you were, as SO many women are fair
weather lover, and that now | am in trouble
you wished to slip the cable. If that was so
felt that it was not for me to demonstrate.
| wrote to you, and l knew that the letter
came safely to your hands. You did not an
swcr it, and l could only come to one con-
clusion. Hence my own silence. And in
truth do not at this moment quite under
stand why you have not written. But Jeremy
has brought me your dear message, and with
that ! am content. for no doubt you have
reasons which are satisfactory to yourself,
and IL that is So no doubt, too, they would
be equally satisfactory to me if only l knew
them. You see, my hearts love, the fact is
that trust and believe in you utterly and
entirely.
40 my sweet, tho troth we plighted was
not for days, or years, or times-it was for
ever. Nothing can dissolve 1t; Death him
self will be powerless against it, With each
now and progressive existence it win rearise
as surely as the flowers i'll spring, only unlike
them, more fragrant and beautiful than be-
fore. Sometimes think that it has already
existed through countless ages. Strange
thoughts come into a mans mind out here on
the great voldt, riding alone hour after hour
and day after day, through sunlight and
through moonlight, till the spirit OF nature
broods upon him ind he begins to learn the
rudiments of truth Some day shall tell
them all to you. Not that have ever been
quite alone, for | can say honestly that you
have always been at my side since left you;
there has been no hour of the day or night
when you have not been in my thoughts, and
/ believe that till death for period blots out
my senses, no such hour will ever come.
"And now, what does all this lead up toi
win you make a sacrifice for me, who am
ready to give all my life to you-no, who
have already given itl That sacrifice is this;
| want you to come out here and marry me,
as you know circumstances prevent me from
returning TO you. If you will come, will
meet you at the Cape and marry you there,
Ali surely you will come As for money,
have plenty from home, and can make as
much more we shall want here, so that
need be no obstacle 1t is long TO wait for
your answer-three months-but hope that
the faith that will, as the Bible tells us, en-
able people to move mountains-and my faith
In you is as great as that-will also enable me
to bear the suspense, and in the end prove its
own reward. Oh, how life has changed for
me since yesterdhyln
Ernest posted his letter, and then, partly
TO employ his thoughts, and partly because it
was his nature TO throw himself into what
ever stream Of life was flowing past him, he
set himself TO master the state Of political
affairs in the country In which he found
himself.
This need not be entered into here further
than to say that II was such as might with
advantage have employed wiser heads than
his, and indeed did employ them Suffice 1t
TO say that he contrived to make himself of
considerable use to the English party, both
before and after the annexation Of the Trans
vaal to the dominions Of the crown. Among
other things he went on several missions in
conjunction with Mr.. Alston, with view of
ascertaining the real state of feeling among
the Beers. He also, together with Jeremy,
joined volunteer corps which was organized
for the defense OF Pretoria when it was still
matter of doubt whether or not the contem.
plated annexation would or would not result
In an attack being made upon the town by
the Beers. 1t was most exciting time, and
once or twice Ernest and Jeremy had narrow
escapes of being murdered, However, moth
ing worthy OF note happened TO them, and at
last the long expected annexation came OFF
successfully, to the intense joy Of all the Eng
lishmen in the country, and TO the great ro-
lief Of the vast majority of the Beers
Now, together with the proclamation by
which the Transva,l was annexed TO her
majestys dominions, was issued another that
was 10 have considerable bearing upon our
hero's fortunes This was none other than
promise of her niajesty's gracious pardon to
all such us had been resident IN the Transvaal